This week we endured unusual and bitter cold.  The temperature at night went into single digits twice.  Fortunately, Woody cleared as much snow and ice as he could before the temperature plummeted so I was able to go out of the house to the greenhouse daily to check the seedlings and to the car on occasion. Woody had a medical appointment in Hyannis on Wednesday, the same day that I had an appointment with Dr. Libby who was back from his family vacation.  Woody couldn’t take me, but Dale did.  We had lunch, he went off to check  progress on the swimming pool where he likes to exercise [it was under repair] and then we picked up Chinese food for our respective dinners at Sun On, which I introduced him to.

Friday was the first day that the temperature relented.  It was still chilly; however the wind died down.  That helped. The wind had actually flung open the door to the greenhouse on Thuarsday.  Since the sun really heats up the greenhouse,Woody cracks the door a bit. The wind whipped it open all the way and the temperature began to go down dangerously low. I had been keeping an eye on it all day, checking every half hour to 45minutes. But I had lain down to elevate my ankle when it happened.  The wind rose @ 4 pm. It was a lucky thing that Woody came home while I was on the couch, elevating.  He caught it. Of course, it would happen the only time all day I didn’t keep on eye on the temperature in the greenhouse.

Yesterday I started five kinds of paste tomatoes, Sun gold cherry tomatoes, summer savory, sweet marjoram and Brussels sprouts.  All except the sprouts go on heat.  They don’t need heat to sprout. 

I couldn’t sleep the night I watched the second part of LEAVING NEVERLAND.  I kept thinking how vulnerable kids are.  Both those boys seem to have been loved and came from middle class homes, but how much more vulnerable are poor and/or unloved children. Anybody who pays kind attention, they will love and trust.  If any predator had taken an interest in me when I was a child, I would have done anything for them.  I can understand why the two boys would lie on the stand to protect the person they loved, who had paid them so much attention. Most kids are intensely loyal to the person they feel cares for them.

I have no trouble understanding why many women don’t report rape.  I fought off two rape attempts twice before I was 14.  It never occurred to me to tell anyone.  I knew both would-be rapists and I figured I get in more trouble if I told anyone than if I kept it to myself.  A girl in my 8th grade class was raped by four men.  She had to leave school. Everyone acted as if she was trash.  I saw how she was punished. It’s a lesson many women receive: better to keep your mouth shut or people will talk shit about you. It’s always your fault. I knew my parents would blame me if I told them and probably take some of my freedom away.

I am still working on my office.  It’s a giant task.  Every day I go through more old files, give some stuff to Michigan and toss a lot. Some files I use all the time, but some are really old and outdated.  Stuff I kept for projects I will never take on.  Stuff I kept imagining I would travel to someplace I either went in the meantime or never will.  Outdated information.  For instance I found a whole file on nonsmoking inns and hotels.  I’m allergic to tobacco smoke.  Now I can go most places, almost all in some states like Massachusetts.  For many years, I could not go to bars; now I can, at least around here.  I no longer need that file.  Just an example of whatI’m finding and discarding.